The protesting traders, in a rally held at Clock Tower Chowk, alleged that the state government was persistently pursuing anti-Beopari policies and called for immediate withdrawal of unilateral increase in octroi and fresh proposals for bringing new items under sales tax net.

Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal general secretary Mohinder Aggarwal disclosed that the wholesale trade had started shifting outside the municipal limits and the process would not only hit the trade activity but also prove counter-productive because despite increase in octroi rates, the total revenue collections of the civic body would decrease. Aggarwal claimed that response of the trade and industrial bodies to the proposed Ludhiana bandh on July 13 was very encouraging and if the government failed to respond and review its anti-trade decisions, the agitation would be further intensified to cover the entire state.